1. Technical Field
The present application is in the field of model railroading. More particularly, the present application is in the field of flashing rear end devices for model train cars.
2. Background Information
Creating realistic models of actual, full size trains has been the focus of the model railroad industry for many years. The industry has determined that several sizes or scales, of model trains are standard and well accepted. Some representative examples of these sizes or scales are HO scale, N scale and Z scale. These scales are often expressed in a ratio of real full size measurement to the scale model measurement. For example a real foot (12 inches) compares to 87 scale feet in HO scale. In N scale that same real foot (12 inches) compares to 160 scale feet. For Z scale, one foot (12 inches) compares to 220 scale feet. These real to scale comparisons can also be expressed as a linear ratio, such as 1:87 for HO scale or 1:160 for N scale and 1:220 for Z scale.
In addition to accurately scaling model railroad apparatus, the industry has also attempted to make model railroads operate like the full-size prototype. When the flashing rear end device was created to replace the caboose as the last part of a train, the model railroad industry followed. A model flashing rear end device like the prototype was now desired.
Conventional model railroad flashing rear end devices are typically installed in the interior of a model railroad car. Typically, a light source protrudes from the inside of the model railcar and out the rear wall. The light source may be an incandescent light bulb, a light emitting diode (LED) or a fiber optic filament. It is difficult to move these devices from one model railcar to another because they are permanently installed. Further, these devices are typically powered by a battery. This battery is installed in the interior of the model railcar. To preserve battery life, a power switch of some kind is utilized.
Another approach to powering the flashing rear end device is to use the track power. There are currently two types of power used in model railroading, digital and analog. Digital power is a newer system, wherein an alternating current with a digital data packet is applied to the rails. This system provides constant current and voltage to the track. The older type of power is analog, wherein a direct current is applied to the track and speed and direction are controlled by voltage and polarity selected.
In real, full-size railroading as well as in model railroading, there are different components with specific names used when referring to the vehicles that operate on the rails. A railcar can be any shape, size or geometry provided it has the following main components: a car body, two couplers, and two or more trucks or wheel assemblies. The car body is the main part of the railcar and is for the conveyance and protection of the goods being carried by the railcar.
The couplers are found at the extreme ends of the railcar, and are used to attach the railcar to another railcar, making a train. In real, full-sized railroading, the couplers are always attached to the car body, but in model railroading, the coupler may be attached to the car body or attached to the truck (wheel assembly).
The railcar truck is the wheel assembly found under the car body, usually near the ends, that supports the car body above the rails of the track that the railcar operates upon. This truck typically is used in a paired arrangement with one truck under each end of the car body, and may have one, two or more axles with two wheels attached to each axle.
In model railroading, the design of the model railcar truck and the model railcar coupler may be two separate pieces or assemblies or may be integrated into one unit. Since the assemblies must be attached in some manner to the car body, more than one fastener is needed if there is more than one assembly. An integrated design for the truck-coupler assembly can be seen in FIG. 2. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,766, Feb. 23, 1971, C. K. Edwards, et. al., which patent is incorporated by reference. This design uses only one fastener to attach to the car body, called a kingpin, which is part number 12 in the cited patent. Prior art can be illustrated to apply to a two-piece design, but not to an integrated unit design.